Ointment left in bar (5)
I believe the answer is:
salve
'ointment' is the definition.
(I know that ointment can be written as salve)
'left in bar' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'bar' becomes 'save' (both can mean 'except').
'l' going into 'save' is 'SALVE'.
(Other definitions for salve that I've seen before include "Roman greeting" , "One rubbed on skin" , "Skin ointment" , "comfort" , "Greeting in Rome" .)